


Save Me, I'm Falling (In Love)

by Avistella



Series: Big Book of Collections [6]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, One Shot Collection, POV Second Person, Reader-Insert, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 12:19:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11440737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avistella/pseuds/Avistella
Summary: Collection of reader insert one-shots with Nyx Ulric.





	1. The Most Important Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Fluff/Angst | You and Nyx share a small moment together in the morning of the signing of the peace treaty.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by KOKIA's song, [Daiji na Mono wa Mabuta no Ura (The Most Important Things Lie Behind Your Eyelids)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9NmrrOFiAk&feature=youtu.be).

_I'm here, I'm here_  
_A bird arcs across the sky_  
_Don't die, don't die_  
_Paradise disappears when you close your eyes for the last time..._

The constant beeping of the early alarm roused you from your sleep, a soft groan of protest leaving both you and the male you lay beside. The bed creaked as your lover shifted around to turn off the alarm, eliciting another whine of protest from you at the momentary disappearance of his warmth. You heard Nyx chuckle deeply beside you before feeling his lips upon the top of your forehead, thus prompting your eyelids to finally flutter open.

"Good morning, beautiful," Nyx crooned, his fingers threading through your messy hair as his other hand lightly trailed down your bare sides, making you breathe out a pleased sigh. Waking up like this wasn't all that bad, you think idly to yourself.

The morning however still was far too cold, especially in Nyx's run down apartment, so you bury yourself into the Glaive's naked chest to warm yourself up. Nyx exhaled a small laugh against your hair, his eyes twinkling at the sight of you curling closer to him. "Babe, as much as I'd love to stay all day in bed with you, I have to go and get ready."

"Can't we stay here together just a bit longer?" You asked, not necessarily caring if you ended up sounding childish or not with your request.

"It's an important day today, you know that," Nyx replied, an apologetic smile tugging on his lips as he continued to run his fingers through your locks, his chest rising and falling with even breaths against you.

You sighed in defeat before rolling to the other side of the bed so that your lover could get up and ready himself for work. "I hope this peace treaty goes well..." you mused as you felt Nyx's weight and warmth leave the mattress, your voice becoming muffled near the end as you buried your face into the pillows.

Nyx's response was a small hum of acknowledgement, and you frowned to yourself. This peace treaty would leave Nyx, along with many other refugees, homeless. You understood that necessary sacrifices had to be made to obtain peace, but would it really be this simple? It was difficult for you to swallow that Niflheim would make peace just like that, but then again, you were just a simple civilian. What did you know about war and politics?

You turned to your side and was immediately greeted by the sight of Nyx's bare back and ass in front of you as he got ready. You couldn't help but let out a laugh at the wonderful view, causing him to turn around, his head tilted to the side from curiosity. A smile crossed your lips as your eyes travelled up and down the Glaive's naked body in all his glory, the dim light of the morning hitting him in just the right ways that made him seem like he was glowing.

"I can still smell you on me," you said as the events of last night flickered to the back of your mind.

Your eyes watched as the corner of Nyx's mouth pulled up into a smirk smug, his eyes narrowing the slightest bit. "Good," he breathed out, his feet padding across the cold floor as he took strong and confident strides back to the bed where you still were. The Glaive cupped your chin, tilting your head back so that you could look at his face and not his body that pleasured you in all the right ways. "It means you're mine," Nyx whispered near your lips, his voice low and rough that made your heart flutter.

Ignoring the growing heat that coursed through your body, you rolled your eyes and pushed your lover back. "Dork. Aren't you supposed to be getting ready, _hero_?"

Nyx threw his head back with a bark of laughter. "How can I get ready when you're lying there like you're all ready for me to just take you again?"

This time, it was your turn to laugh as you threw the sheets off of you, and Nyx's eyes immediately roamed across your bare body, his eyes softening at the sight of all the marks he left scattered around your skin. Your legs swung over to the side of the bed, breaking the man out of his trance, and you got up to drape your arms over Nyx's shoulders.

The man's hands immediately came to rest on your hips and stroked them with his palms, the two of you silently staring at each other with foreheads pressed together as Nyx swayed the both of you around his small apartment in a slow and languid dance. In this moment, you felt the need to ask, "What do you think about this peace treaty?"

The Glaive's eyes wandered for a moment as he contemplated his answer. Finally, he answered, "I want a future for the two of us together, and if this treaty can give us that, then I won't complain."

You flashed your lover a wry smile. "You didn't answer my question, but I guess that's good enough for now."

"After the signing's all done and over with, I want to take you somewhere. Promise you'll wait for me?" Nyx asked, changing the subject as his voice wavered.

"Of course."

Nyx's expression softened, and his hands moved to wrap around your waist, pulling your body flush against his. He leaned further down and closed his eyes, rubbing his nose against yours. Giggles bubbled out of you from the affectionate action before being silenced completely as the Glaive molded his lips with yours into a deep and passionate kiss.

* * *

The sun was starting to rise, and Nyx knew that his time was up. He could feel his life slowly lifting away to be carried by the wind. Insomnia had fallen, but there was still hope for a bright future. As Nyx stared off into the horizon, his last thoughts wandered back to you.

This...was fine.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, the Glaive convinced himself that this was fine. He didn't know as to whether or not you were still alive, but he held on to the hope that you managed to get to safety. Even if he couldn't be by your side, at the very least, you still had a future to live. Even if...he couldn't be by your side.

With the last of his conscienceness slipping away, Nyx buried his hand into his pockets, his fingers brushing against the small velvet box hidden there. He wondered if you remembered the promise you made to him that morning to wait for him. He wondered if you would keep your promise, and if you do, how long would you keep it? After all, he wouldn't be able to make it back to you now.

Not bothering to take the box out from his pocket, the man opened it and allowed his fingers to run along the smooth and cold surface of the jewellary inside it. Nyx's throat felt constricted as images of what could have been and should have been flashed across his mind. Images of what your expression would be when he would have presented this gift to you. Images of what your hand would look like with the promise of a future sitting nicely on your finger.

Nyx's eyes stung, but he couldn't tell if it was because he was staring at the sun or if he was crying. He could barely feel anything anymore. The Glaive did not regret the actions he had taken that day to protect the future. The future he wanted to live in with you. But even if he didn't regret his actions, he couldn't help but wish for one more day with you. One more night to be in your arms. One more second just to see your face.

Just one more time.

_Forgive me...and be happy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find more of my works on [my Tumblr](http://avistella.tumblr.com/)!


	2. Hero's Timing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Fluff | A hero always arrives at the last moment.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Birthday gift for nykamito@Tumblr

With a heavy heart, your shoes tap against the sidewalk, your body swerving through the small crowd of people that still littered the streets in this late hour. Seeing as today was your birthday, the day was seemingly much livelier than usual. Your friends had thrown you a surprise party, much to your delight, and while it was a pleasure to spend your special day with them, your special person wasn’t there at all.

You understood before entering a relationship with Nyx that being able to spend time together would be limited due to his career. While you both manage to make it work and still be in a perfectly happy and healthy relationship, you couldn’t stop the disappointment from settling in your heart from being unable to see Nyx that day. The Glaive had been sent off, it seems, but you had no way of knowing where and for how long.

Still, you try to look at things positively as best you can while you go to fish out your keys from your pocket. Just as you take out the small object, a whizzing sound makes it to your ear, followed by a dull thud of a sharp blade digging itself into your door. You barely manage to let out a small shriek just as the air around the blade crackles, crystalline fragments and small flames appearing, in addition to a body you know all too well.

You’re caught off guard, stumbling back a bit as you let out another small scream because _what the hell_?! Your lover seems completely oblivious to your plight, his forearm against the door as he puts most of his weight on one foot, his head cocked to the side while wearing a smug smirk on his lips that you can’t decide if you want to kiss or smack off his face for scaring the living daylights out of you.

“Is that any way to welcome a hero?” Nyx asks, that annoying yet endearing smirk still plastered on his features but with eyes full of warmth as he gazes at you with an adoring expression.

You stubbornly cross your arms over your chest and huff, “You mean what with you warping dangerously close to me without my knowing and leaving a mark on my perfectly good and innocent door? Uh, yeah, it kinda is.”

The annoyance you felt leaves without any fuss when Nyx moves to stand at his full height and reaches his arm out, pulling you close to his body by your waist and planting his lips on yours without another word. You can never stay angry at him for too long whenever he kisses you like this—soft yet still managing to convey the depth of his feelings for you as you melt into his arms.

“Happy birthday,” the Glaive’s words brush against your lips as he pulls away from the kiss. “I hope I made it in time.”

Blinking in confusion at his words at first, you pull away enough to retrieve your phone and glance at the time. There’s still just a few more minutes left until midnight, signalling the end of your birthday. You lift your gaze once more to properly look at Nyx. He’s still in his uniform, his hair all dishiveled and both dirt and blood (hopefully not his) caked onto his skin. Paying closer attention now, it almost seems as though the man’s out of breath, and you realize that he must have rushed his way here just so that he could offer you his birthday wishes on time.

Butterflies dance around in your stomach at your realization of his consideration, and before either of you know it, you’re throwing yourself at the Glaive and winding your arms around his neck while giggling in pure glee. Nyx holds you close while breathing in your scet, supporting your weight as you bury your face in the crook of his neck, your warm puffs of air sending tingles to course within his body.

“I’m pretty sure warping here is an abuse of your power,” you comment, your words coming out muffled against his skin.

You feel Nyx rumble against you with his long and deep laugh as he squeezes you just a bit more. “Hey, you’re worth it you know.”

Your bottom lip gets caught underneath your teeth as you bite back a stupid grin. “Yeah, yeah… Continue sucking up, hero. You still have to pay me back for the damage you did to my door.”

The man hums lowly in your ear, his hands starting to wander around your body in slow and sensual motions. “Can I pay with my body?”

Laughter easily falls from your lips as you let go of the male, playfully smacking his arm. You turn back to your door and slide your key inside before opening it and gesturing for your lover to come inside. Nyx turns on the lights, familiarity evident in his actions and demeanour after having spent many days and nights in your home as you lock the door behind the both of you.

“Can I use your shower?” The Glaive asks, slipping off his shoes while you follow suit.

“Of course,” you answer like it’s the most obvious thing. “Your clothes are still in the bedroom.”

With a curt nod, Nyx starts to work through his intricate uniform while walking to your bedroom to retrieve a change of clothes before moving towards your washroom to wash himself of the battle he fought in. In the meantime, you head over to the kitchen to pour yourself a glass of water, your mood suddenly much brighter with Nyx’s appearance as you hum a cheerful tune.

Even though you want to change into much more comfortable clothes, you’re much too tired from the surprise party and lazy to do so. While waiting for your boyfriend to finish with his shower, you decide to clean up around your house a bit. You were just finishing up arranging all the birthday gifts your friends have given you when you feel strong arms around your waist from behind and literally sweeping you off your feet.

Nyx laughs at your surprised squeak and ignores your cries to put you down, his feet padding across the floor and heading towards your bedroom. The Glaive falls back onto the bed and keeps his hold to keep you on top of him, your face hovering just above his own. There’s nothing but silence in the room, your eyes staring deep into each other’s as your breaths eventually become synchronized.

Nyx lifts up a hand, his palm stroking your cheek before allowing the pad of his thumb to graze across your parted lips. He smiles up at you, nd you down at him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t celebrate your birthday with you,” the man sighs, the guilt evident in his tone.

You lean your face closer to Nyx’s warmth, placing your own hand atop his and then shake your head. “It’s okay… I’m just glad you’re here with me now.”

Something in the way you said those words seems to have an effect on the Glaive. He flips the two of you around on the bed, switching positions so that he was the one hovering over you instead, your body trapped in between his legs. You’re still trying to process this sudden change in position when Nyx’s lips descend onto yours, deep and passionate.

His hands slide down the sides of your body and rests at your hips just as he pulls away. You take a sharp inhale at the look he gives you. It’s so intense and full of raw emotion, you can’t bear to look away.

“It’s not much,” he starts as he dips his head down again to trace light kisses along the shape of your jaw, “but will you take me for your birthday?”

You don’t bother stopping the giggles that rise out from your chest, and you move your hand to cup the man’s cheek, telling him to stop with his kisses for a moment to look at you. “You know that I will and on any day. You are the best gift to ever have in my life.”

A smile tugs at Nyx’s lips, and it’s not one of his usual smug ones. This one was one of those rare and special smiles he’s only ever shown you when he’s looking at nobody but you. His lips find yours once more, heart thumping loudly against his chest as he promises to make this the best night ever.


	3. Hero in the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Slice of Life/Fluff | You meet a hero after a near death experience at night.**

Nyx Ulric was your hero. Quite literally, too. The Glaive had just finished up with his work, tired and eager to just head on home and allow his mattress to swallow him and his aching muscles whole. Night had already fallen, and the streets were mostly empty save for a few people finishing their shifts or just hanging around to have the only kind of fun available in these late hours.

Nyx's body was heavy, his feet dragging along the sidewalk as he struggled to keep his eyes open just until he reached the comfort of his home. His attention briefly fell to your figure that approached his, your eyes glued to your shoes as you walked in the opposite direction of him. Nyx had moved off a bit more to the side to give you the space to pass without bumping into each other.

And really, that should have been just that. You were nothing more than just some stranger the young man passed by on the street. Ordinary. Not even really worth sparing a second glance or pause. No sudden sparks or "love at first sight" or anything like that. You were just any regular civilian that should have been nothing more than a mundane blur on the street in just another typical day. You were no one important to the Glaive, and he was no one important to you. ...Not yet, at least.

The two of you passed by each other on the street without thinking much of it. Nyx continued on his way when he noticed a car that was driving awfully recklessly. His eyes widened in realization of the oncoming possible threat, and suddenly, all his fatigue momentarily left him as he became much more alert and awake. Thankfully, there was nobody else around to be caught in this danger except...

Nyx swirled his head around, remembering that he _did_ pass by someone just a few moments ago. You were within his sight, your attention still on the ground below you that you didn't realize the car on the road that swerved and headed straight towards you.

"Watch out!" Nyx yelled a warning towards you at the same time instincts managed to take over his feet so that he could run towards your unsuspecting form.

Before you even had time to react, your body was suddenly enveloped in something warm and hard before being carried off to the side and crashing down onto the pavement. Your eyes clenched shut, wincing at the pain that shot through you at the impact, but then you realized that the pain wasn't as sharp as you would have expected from colliding with the cold ground.

A deep groan sounded beneath you, and you realized that you were on top of whom you figured to be your saviour, his arms wrapped tightly around you and taking the brunt of the fall. "Are you alright?" He asked you, choosing to ignore his own pain for now and put your well-being first.

Baffled yet touched by his kindness, you nodded slowly. Satisfied with your response, the man let go of you, and you shakily stood up while offering your hand out to your hero. He graciously accepted it and stood up, brushing himself off before inspecting the car that crashed into one of the street poles. The door opened, and out stumbled a very drunk young woman.

The authorities arrived soon afterwards, no doubt a resident in one of the nearby buildings calling them after hearing the commotion, and after taking your statements and all that other fun stuff, you were given permission to go home.

Nyx was prepared to resume his journey back home, but seeing how visibly shaken you still were from your near-death experience, he put aside his own wants for now. "Would you like some company to walk you back home?" He offered.

You glanced up towards him, hesitating on your response despite the simple question. Chewing at the corner of your bottom lip, you furrowed your brows and nodded. "Y-Yes, thank you..."

The atmosphere between the both of you was awfully tense and awkward. Nyx walked beside you, keeping a respectable distance from you while matching your pace. The Glaive stole a glance your way, your head bowed low and focusing on the ground. Nyx found your behaviour strange at first; it felt as though you were making a conscious effort to avoid any sort of accidental eye contact with anyone.

Clearing his throat to break the silence, the man introduced himself. "I'm Nyx, by the way. Nyx Ulric."

You gave a small flinch at the sound of his voice, surprised that he even started talking to you. Knowing it would be rude to ignore him, you forced yourself to meet his gaze for a second as you muttered out your name in return.

Before Nyx could respond, you turned your attention back to your shoes as awkwardness settled into the space between the two of you once more. "That's a nice name," he commented after a pause, hoping it would help start up a conversation.

"Thank you," you answered before falling quiet once more. Nyx gave a defeated smile and small shrug of his shoulders while you winced at your own inability to maintain a conversation. "I'm sorry," you said suddenly, surprising the man. He glanced towards you and noted the way you fiddled with the ring on your finger as you continued, "I'm not...really that good at...talking with people..."

Seeing how much you were beating yourself up over this, Nyx replied with a light and easygoing tone, "That's okay. People tell me I talk more about myself than I listen."

"I wouldn't be surprised if that was true," you said before realizing that perhaps that was a bit rude. You hurriedly tried to correct yourself, "I mean—"

You were cut off by Nyx's bark of laughter. "It _is_ the truth," he acknowledged, and you slowly found your previous tension easing away.

Nyx really helped in making you feel comfortable around him, and the more comfortable you got, the more the two of you talked with each other about the most mundane of things and just getting to know each other in general. "So, what's a pretty lady like you doing all by her lonesome on the streets in the middle of the night?"

Your steps faltered at the realization that your hero called you "pretty", and you almost fell down before quickly regaining yourself, your cheeks extremely flushed from embarrassment. You cleared your throat. "I was just heading home after a night out with a few of my friends." Nyx hummed in response, and you returned the question. "And you?"

"Just got off work and was ready to go back home and sleep," he answered.

"Oh... _Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry_!" You apologized abruptly, confusing the male. "If I had known..."

Finally understanding what you were apologizing for, Nyx shook his head and flashed you a reassuring smile. "It's fine, it's not your fault! I was the one who offered to walk you home anyways."

Still feeling slightly guilty, you decided to change the subject. "What do you work as?"

Nyx blinked in surprise for a moment. He figured that you would have recognized his uniform he was donning, but apparently not. Well, not like it mattered. "I'm part of the Kingsglaive," he answered, sounding neither proud or upset. Just stating a fact and nothing more.

"You're a soldier..." you thought out loud. "I guess that makes sense."

"Hm?" Nyx made a questioning sound, tilting his head to the side as he gazed at you curiously.

"It's nothing," you said. "It's just...this kind of air you give off. Like you've seen lots of things us civilians don't usually see."

The Glaive fell silent after that, at a loss for words. Thankfully, before any kind of solemn awkwardness can sweep in, the two of you arrived at your destination. You walked up to your doorstep and hesitated. After a few agonizing seconds of internal debate, you bit down at your bottom lip and rummaged through your bag. Nyx assumed that you were looking for your keys, but what you took out instead was a small sheet of paper and a pen. 

You scribbled something on the paper before handing it over to Nyx. The Glaive took it with slight confusion etched on his features before glancing down and being met with a string of numbers. He tried to search for words but for some reason ended up empty handed, looking back up at you with an expression you couldn't quite read.

"I want to thank you properly for saving me. I can treat you to maybe some coffee? I know a really good café—oh, unless you're not really into that, but still. It doesn't have to be coffee, but I would like to thank you somehow, and _oh Six_ , I'm rambling..." You trailed off for a moment and buried your face into your hands, trying to catch your breath again. Nyx couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. 

After regaining yourself, you brought your hands down and started again, "You can text me at any time if you'd like to take me up on my offer to treat you to something nice."

"Sure thing," Nyx grinned, a fluttery feeling settling in his heart. "I appreciate it."

Hoping to save yourself from any further embarrassment, you gave a curt nod and turned sharply on your heel and back to your door. Before heading inside, however, you spared one more glance behind you, your eyes widening in surprise when you saw that Nyx was still standing there and looking at you.

"Thank you again," you bade your farewell. "Good night... _my hero_."

Now it was Nyx's turn to be surprised. He was used to being called a hero, but hearing it from your lips was different. It made his heart pound against his ribcage and drew a smile to his lips. By the time he composed himself, you were already gone and inside your home. The man stared at your door for a few more moments before grinning like an idiot to himself, tucking into his pocket the sheet of paper you had given him with your number as he walked all the way back home feeling quite a bit more revujinated than before.


	4. Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Hurt/Comfort | Nyx finds you in a moment of weakness and stays by your side.**

Being a soldier and willing to put himself in the middle of a fray for those he holds dear, one would think Nyx has seen his fair share of frightening sights. And he has. He has battled against all sorts of daemons, has seen many good people die, has had several brushes with death himself, and so much more...

But nothing— _absolutely nothing_ —has ever frightened him more than the view before him when he walks into your home, using the spare key you had given him at a turning point in your relationship. Nyx finally had some free time from his busy schedule, and he planned on giving you a surprise visit, eager to wrap you up into his arms and twirl you around in the air.

He never expected to find you all hunched up into a ball in the middle of your living room. The room was a complete mess. Furniture had been turned over. Various shards of glass and porcelain littered the floor. Ripped pieces of paper were strewn about as well. It almost looked like there was a struggle, and maybe there was, but not the one that Nyx could easily fix.

The Glaive calls out your name to announce his presence as he starts to make his way over, being extra mindful of the mess. He doesn't want to scare you, and the man hopes that you heard him, seeing as you haven't made any indication of doing so. Instead, your body continues to wrack with broken and muffled sobs, your face buried and hidden away.

Nyx places a gentle yet firm hand on your shoulder, but you still refuse to greet him in any way. You're too ashamed of having been caught in such a vulnerable state to so much as even look at him. Remembering to be careful, Nyx slowly turns you to face him, and you're greeted by his usual clear eyes being clouded with pure concern.

"Shh, shh..." Nyx coos as he picks you up and holds your trembling figure against his warm chest. He notes the various cuts on your body that you must have received from when you were throwing things around, and the man makes a mental note to tend to those injuries as soon as you've calmed down. "Hey, hey... Hey there, babe... It's okay... I got you... I'm right here..."

The man continues to utter soft words of reassurances in your ear, keeping one arm wound around you while the other runs along the curve of your spine to soothe you. He does this for a few more minutes until your desperate sobs start to die down to small hiccups and sniffles instead. You don't say anything, but that's fine. Nyx understands, and you're thankful for that.

Keeping you against his chest, the Glaive stands back up and brings you along with him as he heads over to your kitchen which was thankfully spared from your breakdown. Nyx sets you down onto the countertop and fiddles around with your cupboards to look for your first aid kit. Upon finding it, he returns to your side and sets the kit down beside you on the counter and then proceeds to fetch you a glass of water to replenish yourself.

Your hands are shaky, and you're not too sure if your grip is strong enough to hold the glass, but Nyx keeps his hand firmly on yours for support, and you manage to take a couple of gulps of water before putting the glass down. Although you're no longer crying out loud, the tears still spill out from your eyes in silent trails. The man tries to kiss as much of your tears away before heading back to his previous task of tending to your cuts.

Neither of you speak as Nyx helps clean and treat your injuries, but when his worried eyes lock with yours, you can't bear it any longer. "I'm sorry," you choke out a miserable apology, your voice still hoarse from all your crying.

The Glaive's eyebrows stitch together, and there's frustration behind his features, but it's not directed towards you. It's directed towards himself and his own helplessness. "It's not your fault," Nyx reminds you with a quiet and careful tone. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"No, but I'm sorry I'm like this," you try to insist, and the man grasps your hands, squeezing them with a bit more force than he intended.

"Please," he practically begs, "don't ever apologize for being who you are. Don't apologize for being the one that I love. _I love you_. I love _everything_ about you—both good _and_ bad. Please don't ever aplogize for that."

You press your lips together in a firm line, trying to will yourself to not cry again. Now that all of your cuts have been treated, Nyx lifts you off of the counter and into his arms. He decides to clean up later and instead carries you to your bedroom. The Glaive carefully sets you down on the mattress then crawls in on the other side. He pulls the covers up over both of your forms before moving to tangle his legs with yours. One arm lazily drapes over your waist while his other hand goes to thread his fingers through your hair.

"I love you," he keeps on reminding you, placing occasional kisses on the crown of your head to emphasize his words. "You're amazing, you know that? You _really_ are."

It's difficult for you to believe his words of you being amazing when you feel so broken inside, but you have no doubts on Nyx's feelings towards you. The way he touches and speaks to you is more than enough proof of the depth of his love for you, and for now, it's enough to push those dark thoughts away. They don't disappear and merely go back under lock and key for the meantime, and both you and Nyx know that they will come back, but you know that your hero will be there for you when they do.


	5. Give and Take

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Hurt/Comfort | All everybody ever wanted to do was to take from you, and you were willing to give. Now it was your turn to receive.**

Happiness was a luxury. Happiness was a privilege. You don't deserve happiness; you have to earn it. This was what you learned at a very young age. It was what you were taught while growing up with siblings. That's right... In the end, your own joy depended on whether or not somebody else was happy. 

As long as your parents were happy, then they wouldn't hurt you. As long as your siblings were happy, then they wouldn't hurt you. As long as your friends were happy, then they would like you and stay with you. As long as everybody was happy, then you were...fine. _You were fine_. Of course, that was nothing more than a lie because how could you be? How could you be "fine" when you've been stripped to nothing?

[[MORE]]

You gave so much of yourself just to please others. Just to keep them satisfied. But really, there was only so much that you could offer. After all, what could somebody as useless and full of disappointment like you have to offer for others? You gave and gave and gave _and gave_ , and you continue to do so even now.

You give your time for others even though you're busy and tired yourself. You give your counsel for others even though you're drowning in your own thoughts and doubts. You give your efforts for others even though you don't think they deserve it. You give your meager talents for others even though they take you for granted.

They take your presence for granted.

They take your kindness for granted.

They take your time for granted.

They take your strength for granted.

They take your wisdom for granted

They take and take and take and take—

And you continue to give and give and give and give—

A pair of warm arms encircle your waist from behind, bringing you back to reality. The arms pull you back towards a well-toned chest, and soft lips find their way to your cheek before trailing down to the crook of your neck. You breathe out a sigh before dipping your head back to rest upon the person's body behind you as they squeeze your figure in a reassuring manner.

"You're tired." It was a statement—an obvious observed fact—rather than a question.

"I'm fine, Nyx." The usual words fall from your lips without so much of a second thought, the response automatic.

The Glaive huffs in disagreement but doesn't say anything that might start an argument. It's the last thing that he wants and the last thing you need at the moment. However, he does kindly offer, "Let me take care of you."

And you want that. Really, that's all you want at the moment, but you're not used to taking from others. A sense of apprehension makes its way into your heart at the thought of actually indulging yourself in another person's love, attention, and care. The words " _you don't deserve it_ " echo in your mind, and you find yourself swallowing a lump in your throat.

Sensing your growing worries, Nyx tightens his hold on you once more, bringing you back to the present. "I want to take care of you," he insists. "Just like how you take care of me. I want to give back to you."

Pushing away that nagging voice into the back of your mind, you give a hesitant nod. You're fairly certain that Nyx is smiling behind you, but you're still not sure if this is the right choice. If this is okay for you to do. The Glaive separates himself from you for a moment before grasping onto your wrist to guide you towards his armchair.

Nyx pushes upon your shoulders to have you sit on the furniture, hoping that you would make yourself comfortable. Once you're settled down, the man walks towards his pantry and takes out one of your favourite snacks. Ever since you started visiting his apartment more often, the Glaive had started to keep some of your favourite food around. It was rather endearing and considerate, you had thought.

After retrieving his own snacks to eat, Nyx turns on his heel and promptly makes his way back to you. He gives you your food, and you accept it with a murmured word of thanks. The two of you eat slowly and in silence. It's somehow comforting, much to your surprise, and you do things at your own leisure. Then, you feel Nyx's fingers start to comb through your hair, his fingertips applying the right amount of pressure on your scalp that has you relaxing your body little by little.

"You're so tense..." the man notes, more as a comment to himself than anything else in all honesty.

"I haven't been able to sleep much," you admit with a shrug of your shoulders as you sink further down against the armrest with your eyelids fluttering shut to relish in the sensation.

"'Cause you're too busy thinking of me?" Nyx jokes lightly, relief washing over him when you actually end up laughing a bit at that. A smile plays on his lips as he stops massaging your scalp for a moment to gently stroke your cheek with his calloused fingertips. He traces the curve of your jaw before leaning in to give you an innocent kiss on the lips. It's warm and sweet, and you feel like you can just melt into him.

The Glaive separates himself, the corner of his lips tugged into an almost triumphant smirk that you were much more accepting towards his love and care for you. There's a hint of sympathy hiding behind his eyes as he understands your struggles and strength. People often praised him for his strength, but Nyx was often left in awe of your own strength. It took tremendous willpower and determination to live the life that you had led and still continue to do so.

With a quiet sigh, Nyx moved to sit down beside you, and you shifted over to give him space, but he instead pulled you to sit at his lap. Carefully, the man placed a hand on your shoulder, signalling for you to lean back against him and inviting you to make yourself comfortable. You eased back at the pace that's easy for you and allow your muscles to loosen up and relax.

"Is there anything that you want?" Nyx asked from behind you, his chest rumbling with the question. You couldn't tell if it was a casual question or if he was expecting a bit more of a profound answer of sorts.

You stayed quiet for a moment as you considered your response. "Just stay with me," you ended up saying, your voice coming out much more meek and vulnerable than usual as you allowed your walls to come down.

You felt Nyx nod behind you, and silence settled itself into the room once more while his hands wrapped themselves around your figure. It was a firm hold to assure you that he was there, but it was loose enough to give you more than enough freedom to leave if you so wished. That feeling of being given a choice filled your chest with warmth, and you lost yourself in that small luxury.


End file.
